Spring Arts Calendar: From Norman Rockwell to Sarah Vowell

FEBRUARY Ongoing–Feb. 28 Luke Haynes Alt-quilting. See profile. Ongoing–May 1 Vanities: A New Musical The 1976 play by Jack Heifner about three Texas cheerleaders in the '60s who age into '80s discontent was recently reworked as an off-Broadway musical. This staging is co-produced by ACT and The 5th Avenue Theatre. ACT Theatre, acttheatre.org. Ongoing–May 8 Shadows of a Fleeting World Post-WWI photos by the Seattle Camera Club are exhibited, most in soft-focus pictorialist mode, daubed with hazy clouds and light. Henry Art Gallery, henryart.org. Ongoing–May 8 Uta Barth The L.A. photographer, originally from Germany, crops and decontextualizes her borrowed commercial imagery into hazy remnants of our consumer desire. Henry Art Gallery, henryart.org. Ongoing–May 8 Teatro ZinZanni: Radio Free Starlight Their current dinner-circus show recreates the golden age of radio. See our profile of the costume work of Louise DiLenge. Teatro ZinZanni, dreams.zinzanni.org. Ongoing–July 10 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Celebrating Fifty Years Local photographer Subhankar Banerjee froze his butt off and endured swarms of ravenous mosquitoes to bring you this series of nature scenes and wildlife images from ANWAR. Burke Museum, burkemuseum.org. 17 Cleveland Confidential Authors/musicians Cheetah Chrome (Rocket From the Tombs, Dead Boys), Mike Hudson (the Pagans), and Bob Pfeifer (Human Switchboard) pay a visit. Note that they're reading, not jamming. Experience Music Project, empsfm.org. PICK 17–20 Crystal Pite See the Wire. On the Boards, ontheboards.org. PICK 18–25 The Threepenny Opera The wonderful Brecht/Weill musical allows Seattle Shakes a rare foray into melodic terrain. Center House Theatre, seattleshakespeare.org. 18–March 6 Mother in Another Language In Taniya Hossain's real-estate comedy, an immigrant Bangladeshi husband and his American bride unwisely install his tradition-minded mother in the basement. ACT Theatre, acttheatre.org. 18 and 25 Hollywood's Black America Black History Month is commemorated with screenings of The Defiant Ones, The Sound of Jazz, and White Lines and the Fever. Seattle Art Museum, seattleartmuseum.org. 18 Maxine Hong Kingston She reads from her new memoir, I Love a Broad Margin to My Life. This is her second memoir; the first, The Warrior Woman: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, received a National Book Award. Elliott Bay Book Co., elliottbaybook.com. 18 Ginny Ruffner: A Not So Still Life The veteran local artist is profiled in this new documentary, covering both her work and recovery from brain injuries sustained in a near-fatal 1991 car crash. Henry Art Gallery. 19–March 19 Mitzi Pederson Florida-born and Berlin-based, she shows new sculpture in The Still Night Air hewn from crude, cheap materials including cinder blocks, plywood, and cellophane. Open Satellite, opensatellite.org. PICK 22–March 13 Next to Normal See a profile of locally raised Brian Yorkey, who wrote the Tony Award–winning musical about mental illness. The 5th Avenue Theatre, 5thavenue.org. 23–Aug. 9 Wanxin Zhang The Chinese-born artist, now a San Francisco resident, addresses historical themes from his homeland in large ceramic figures. Bellevue Arts Museum, bellevuearts.org. 24 Rubin "Hurricane" Carter He of the famous Bob Dylan song, wrongfully convicted for a triple murder and imprisoned 19 years before exoneration, reads from his new memoir, Eye of the Hurricane: My Path from Darkness to Freedom. University Book Store, ubookstore.com. 24–April 2 Joseph Goldberg Based in Soap Lake, the Seattle-born painter pushes Eastern Washington landscapes into abstraction, punctuated by lightning bursts and low-flying owls. Greg Kucera Gallery, gregkucera.com. 24 Zhi Lin & Z.Z. Wei The two local artists discuss influences in the ongoing Wang Huaiqing show (through April 10) at SAAM. Seattle Asian Art Museum, seattleartmuseum.org. PICK 24–26 The Indian Queen You got your dance in my opera! No, you got your singing in my ballet! Seattle Early Dance and Baroque Northwest jointly present an Aztec love triangle, as conjured by Henry Purcell in 1695. Chapel Performance Center, earlymusicguild.org. 25–26 Seattle Women's Chorus Actress Kathy Najimy—among other gigs, the voice of King of the Hill's Peggy—joins the choir for comedy and songs. Paramount Theatre, flyinghouse.org. PICK 26 Israel Philharmonic "Macho Maestro" (as a Newsweek cover once famously dubbed him) Zubin Mehta conducts a potentially dazzling program of Beethoven, Webern, and Mahler's Fifth. Benaroya Hall, seattlesymphony.org. 26–March 12 Don Quichotte This season's novelty from Seattle Opera is Massenet's sentimental 1910 take on Cervantes. McCaw Hall, seattleopera.org. PICK 26–May 30 American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell Mocked as a square by baby boomers, this iconic American illustrator is getting a well-deserved second look in this decade-by-decade survey (a carefully curated traveling show). His idealized images from the '20s through the '60s are grounded in social observation and news headlines that, regardless of your politics, are more nuanced than much of the criticism leveled against him. Tacoma Art Museum, tacomaartmuseum.org. 26 The Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis pits a man of faith against a demon determined to drag him to hell. The Moore Theatre, stgpresents.org. 27 Beyond the Score Beginning with a multimedia historical performance on the creation of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the night ends with a full performance by the Seattle Symphony. Benaroya Hall. 27 Orchestra Seattle Virtuoso concertos for piano and bassoon. First Free Methodist Church, osscs.org. 28 Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra Baroque showpieces. Meany Hall, seattlemetchamberorchestra.blogspot.com.MARCH PICK 1 T.C. Boyle So fond of sweeping historical themes and enduring human foibles, his novel When the Killing's Done toggles between the modern animal-rights movement and the environmental mistakes of earlier times. Seattle Central Library, spl.org. 2 Tracy Kidder Seattle Arts & Lectures presents the Pulitzer- and National Book Award-winning author of Strength in What Remains and many other works. Benaroya Hall, lectures.org. 3–5 Compagnie La Baraka The traveling French company's A World in Itself is accompanied by the Debussy String Quartet. Meany Hall, uwworldseries.org. 3–5 Spectrum Dance Theater Donald Byrd's local dance troupe debuts The Mother of Us All, about our relationship with Africa, plus two repertory works. The Moore. 3–25 Across the Divide: Critical Mass 2010 This group show features work from emerging to mid-level photographers from all over the world. Photo Center NW, pcnw.org. 4 Seth Krimsky "Electric bassoon fusion madness." See profile. 4–10 Carbon Nation Global warming, obsessive recycling, minimal food miles, and backyard chickens—how much greener can Seattle be? This new eco-doc offers further advice for reducing your carbon footprint. SIFF Cinema, siff.net. 5–20 Adventures of Monkey King Sixth-generation puppeteer Jen Yang employs porcelain pig and monkey puppets. Northwest Puppet Center, nwpuppet.org. 5–May 29 Lucy Pullen Consulting with engineers and astrophysicists, the Canadian artist explores cosmic rays in the sculptures contained in Cloud Chamber, Spark Chamber. Henry Art Gallery. 8 Michael Showalter The cable-favorite comic of The State and Wet Hot American Summer turns to memoir in Mr. Funnypants. University Book Store and Triple Door. PICK 8 Emerson String Quartet We're so lucky to get them annually. They'll play Haydn, Bartok, and Brahms (the Piano Quintet, with UW's Craig Sheppard). Meany Hall. 9 Jonathan Bloom He ponders the problem of our trash in American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It). University Book Store. 9 Merce in Three Parts Centralia's greatest artistic export, the late choreographer Merce Cunningham, is honored with two dance shorts and a documentary. Northwest Film Forum, nwfilmforum.org. 9–April 2 Distracted A dark comedy focusing on the mother of an ADHD child and her family, friends, and various communities that must, but typically don't, deal. ArtsWest, artswest.org. 10–12 Young Playwrights Festival And what did you do between ages 13 and 18? Eight new plays are premiered. ACT Theatre. 10–13 Devotion Faith is the subject for choreographer Sarah Michelson and playwright Richard Maxwell, an import from NYC. On the Boards. PICK 10–June 5 Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth No, not the brooding, basso-voiced Australian-born musician, but the American artist, based in Chicago, who makes crazily elaborate "sound-suits" and other aural sculptures that reflect influences as disparate as African dance and Cockney buskers. (The March 11 SAM Remix party helps open the show.) Seattle Art Museum. 11 Christopher DeLaurenti Usually this sonic documentarian uses field recordings as a source for his absorbing soundscapes, but in Thrill he deconstructs a '30s torch song. Chapel Performance Space, waywardmusic.blogspot.com. 11–27 The Skriker Dark magic realism moves the story of Rumpelstiltskin to a present-day setting. Written by Caryl Churchill. Ballard Underground Theater, ghostlighttheatricals.org. PICK 11–27 American Handel Festival In conjunction with a national conference, two weeks of orchestral, choral, chamber, and opera performances, including, on the 25th at Town Hall, a semistaged production of his pastoral idyll Acis and Galatea. Various locations, americanhandelfestival.org. 12 Puget Sound Symphony Prokofiev's seventh and final symphony is his rather morose last-ditch attempt to ingratiate himself with Soviet artistic kommissars. Town Hall, psso.org. 12–13 South of Settling Recipient of ACT's New Play Award, Emily Schwend is rewarded with a free staged reading of her small-town drama. ACT Theatre. 12–20 Seattle Jewish Film Festival Titles are still pending. Food, music, and comedy events are also part of the 16th annual fest. Pacific Place and other venues, seattlejewishfilmfestival.org. 13 Seattle Youth Symphony Tackling one of the orchestra's ultimate virtuoso challenges, Stravinsky's visceral The Rite of Spring. Benaroya Hall, syso.org. 14 Maya Angelou The constantly lauded poet and activist shares some of her inspirational verse and life reflections. Paramount Theatre, stgpresents.org. 14 James Gleick Before there was PowerPoint or even an Internet, this guru of design and information presentation was preaching for clearer charts and graphs. His latest is The Information. Town Hall, townhallseattle.org. 15 Andre Dubus III Townie is the new '70s memoir from the author of House of Sand and Fog. Here he considers the conflicts of growing up as the son of famous novelist Andre Dubus. University Book Store. 15 Marie Howe She reads new poetry as part of the ongoing Seattle Arts & Lectures series. Benaroya Hall. 16 Garrick Ohlsson Replacing Nelson Freire (tendinitis), this pianist will play Chopin and Granados. Meany Hall. 16–May 22 Iron Curtain Back in Soviet days, two Broadway chumps are kidnapped and taken to Russia, where they're ordered to fix a broken Communist musical. It's like The Producers, with more marching! Village Theatre, villagetheatre.org. PICK 17–April 10 Moisture Festival The annual celebration of burlesque and variety pulls out all the stops. Performances are typically divided into adult-oriented and kid-friendly. Hale's Palladium, ACT Theatre, and other venues, moisturefestival.org.PICK 18–27 Contemporary 4 Brushing off the powdered sugar of Prokofiev and Cinderella, PNB stages a quartet of newer works, including Mark Morris' Pacific and the Seattle premiere of Alexei Ratmansky's Concerto DSCH--but with a twist: Instead of modernist music by John Cage (see The Piano Dance), the score's by fellow Russian Shostakovich. Pacific Northwest Ballet, pnb.org. PICK 18–April 10 Of Mice and Men Steinbeck himself authored this adaptation of the sad tale of Lenny and George. Directed by Jerry Manning. Seattle Repertory Theater, seattlerep.org. PICK 18–April 17 All My Sons Arthur Miller's 1947 Tony-winning drama about war profiteering and the hollowness of the American dream is restaged in the Central District with a mostly African-American cast. Intiman Theatre, intiman.org. PICK 19–June 19 Degenerate Art ensemble The local avant-garde performance troupe exhibits props, photos, and videos from past shows. Various live mini-events and artist tours will also attend the exhibit. New will be The Red Shoes (May 12–June 2). Frye Art Museum, fryemuseum.org. 19–Aug. 7 The Owl and the Woodpecker Drawn from the book of the same name by Seattle photographer Paul Bannick, these images celebrate birds both common and rare. Burke Museum. 20 Mostly Nordic: Denmark Violin and cello combine in the music of Niels Gade and Fini Henriques. (Iceland gets the spotlight on April 17.) Nordic Heritage Museum. 20 Portland Baroque Why did Bach never write an opera? His intensely vivid St. John Passion suggests he could have been a master of the art. Town Hall, earlymusicguild.org. 21 David Brooks He of the mighty New York Times op-ed page discusses why some folks make it into the meritocracy (him, in his estimation), and why some don't (i.e., the rest of us), in his new The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement. Town Hall. PICK 22–April 3 Billy Elliot You saw the movie. You loved the movie. Now see the touring production of the popular Broadway show about a working-class lad who just wants to dance, dance, dance! The Paramount. 22 Guilty Pleasures Book-it Repertory Theatre holds its annual "racy adult fiction" night gala/auction at TZZ. Teatro ZinZanni, book-it.org. 24–26 Seattle Symphony To mark his centennial, two concerts devoted to the lyrical and spiritual music of prolific Northwest composer Alan Hovhaness. Benaroya Hall. PICK 25–27 Alvin Ailey Dance Theater The groundbreaking Harlem troupe dips into its back catalog, sampling Revelations, Uptown (a Seattle premiere), The Hunt, and other works. 5th Avenue Theatre, stgpresents.org. 25–31 The Roundup Jean Reno stars in this new Holocaust drama, set in Vichy France. Another plus: Mélanie Laurent from Inglourious Basterds. SIFF Cinema. 25 Finally Friday BAM celebrates Eastern culture with music, art, and drinks. Bellevue Arts Museum, bellevuearts.org. PICK 25 Sarah Vowell Everyone's favorite droll, brainy nerd girl, she's touring behind her Unfamiliar Fishes, an historical tour through Hawaii, the Pacific, and the history of American colonialism in those regions. In the 50th state, birthplace of our president (yes, really), expect plenty of digressions on pineapples, suntanning, and surfing . . . or at least how to avoid the latter two. Town Hall, elliottbaybook.com. PICK 31 Joshua Foer You will remember this date. You will remember this date. The brainy youngest brother of the famous literary clan ventured among competitive memory athletes while researching his Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything. Even better, it may be a movie with action sequences about people . . . memorizing? Elliott Bay Book Co. 31–April 2 Trisha Brown Dance Company Visiting from New York as part of the UW World Series, they perform Opal Loop and Pygmalion. Meany Hall. 31–April 3 Seattle Symphony Two sonic showpieces that set Benaroya's organ rumbling: Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra and Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3. Benaroya Hall.APRIL PICK 1–9 Seattle Opera Young Artists Their previous production of Don Giovanni is still the best one I've ever seen—for once, both as comic and as moving as Mozart must have intended. I hope they can repeat their success. Meydenbauer Center.2-3 Seattle Men's Chorus Looking at Germany's gay life before and after the rise of the Third Reich, thourgh selections from Cabaret and Jake Heggie's one-act opera For a Look or a Touch. 4 and 18 Pinter Fortnightly You can't go on. You'll go on. Short works by the existentialist master are read. (The series continues with one date per month through July.) ACT Theatre. 4–24 Whirligig! All manner of kiddie fun is promised, from bouncy castles to face- painting. Did we mention the balloons? Seattle Center, seattlecenter.com. 4–25 Silent Movie Mondays Screened to live organ accompaniment, classic titles include Docks of New York, Speedy, and The Cameraman (the latter two with Buster Keaton). The Paramount. 5 Copper Canyon Press Poetry Reading The invaluable publisher, based in Port Townsend, brings Chris Abani, Michael Dickman, Lucia Perillo, and Jean Valentine to read their verse. Town Hall. 5–24 9 to 5 Dolly Parton created the score for this proto-feminist workplace comedy, based on her 1980 movie. Dolly isn't part of this touring show, but you can close your eyes and imagine. The 5th Avenue Theatre. 7 David Shields Vs. Marjorie Garber The local author of Reality Hunger debates the Harvard professor (The Use and Abuse of Literature) about which we prefer: fact or fiction. Our money's on Shields. University Book Store. 7–May 1 The Man Who Planted Trees Puppets tell the story of a French shepherd determined to transform a wasteland into a forest. Seattle Children's Theatre, sct.org. 7–30 Queer Film Series Programming is still pending for this LGBT-friendly mini-fest, cosponsored by Three Dollar Bill Cinema Films; see website next month for lineup. Northwest Film Forum, threedollarbillcinema.org. 7–June 2 American Heart: The Films of Jeff Bridges Dude! From The Big Lebowski to The Last Picture Show, the Oscar-winning actor is honored with an eight-film retrospective. (American Heart, filmed here in Seattle, isn't part of the series.) Seattle Art Museum. 8 Harlem String Quartet Music by Beethoven, Borodin, Shostakovich (so far, so conventional), and Chick Corea. Meany Hall. PICK 8–9 KOCHO The new Noh-based dance/opera project by composer Garrett Fisher. Chapel Performance Space, fisherensemble.org.PICK 8–17 A Midsummer Night's Dream Balanchine meets Shakespeare, lovers are pitched to and fro, and some guy is turned into an ass. With a romantic score by Mendelssohn, this 1962 work received a PNB makeover in '97. With faeries, spells, mistaken identities, and considerable enchantment, it's a work that's both dreamy and occasionally comic. If you take your kids, tell them you have no idea whether Helena and Demetrius get together in the end. Pacific Northwest Ballet.9 Seattle Choral Company Haydn's stirring "Lord Nelson" Mass. Benaroya Hall, seattlechoralcompany.org. 9–17 Camelot Lyric Light Opera presents Lerner & Loewe's dreamy show, which at its 1960 premiere many read as a JFK allegory. Except onstage, Queen Guinevere's the unfaithful one. Kirkland Performance Center, kpcenter.org. 9–Dec. 31 Now & Then Paul Dorpat's popular, regular feature from The Seattle Times pairs dozens of Seattle vistas, photographed decades apart. He even repeats the pattern in Paris. Museum of History & Industry, seattlehistory.org. 10 Seattle Philharmonic Subtly hued music by Stravinsky, including The Firebird. Meany Hall, seattlephil.org. 10 Philharmonia Northwest Brahms at his least ponderous: the Variations on a Theme of Haydn. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, philharmonianw.org. 11 Brian Kahn Who owns the constitution? Not Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck, says the author of Home Ground. Town Hall. 13–May 14 O LOVELY GLOWORM It could be whimsical or creepy, as a stuffed goat atop a garbage heap concocts a world of magic for the audience. New Century Theatre Company, newcenturytheatrecompany.org. 14–23 Red Tiger Tales From Vashon, the UMO Ensemble deploys monks, masks, puppets, and more for this new production. ACT Theatre. PICK 15–17 A Day on the Town, a Night in Hell The Early Music Guild stages an operatic mashup of Vecchi and Monteverdi madrigals, conceived by SW alum Roger Downey. Moore Theatre, earlymusicguild.org. 15–21 Chaplin Fest SIFF presents a series of beloved silent-era classics from the Little Tramp, including The Gold Rush and City Lights, and early talkies like Monsieur Verdoux. SIFF Cinema. 16–22 Nirvana The iconic grunge-era band is commemorated with photos, instruments, videos, and other artifacts. Yes, they've even got one of Kurt's sweaters. Experience Music Project. PICK 18 Joyce Carol Oates She's won every prize in American letters and continues to be insanely prolific. Presented by Seattle Arts & Lectures, Oates reads from her new bereavement memoir, A Widow's Story. Benaroya Hall, lectures.org. 20–May 15 The Merry Wives of Windsor Seattle Shakes dusts off the crowd-pleasing marital comedy, with Falstaff crashing the party. Center House Theatre. PICK 21–23 The Esoterics Normally focusing on contemporary music, this a cappella choir offers the lush and heady madrigals of Carlo Gesualdo (1566–1613). Various venues, theesoterics.org. 22–May 21 The Tale of Jemima Canard Local actor/playwright Brandon J. Simmons adapts Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, using human actors to portray a curious menagerie. Annex Theatre, annextheatre.org. PICK 22–May 22 The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs The locally trained monologuist who so memorably skewered Amazon, Mike Daisey turns his lens to Apple and its critically ill CEO, the famously fussy inventor of the iPhone and iPad. Daisey asks, "How did one obsessive man change the world to his liking—and at what cost?" Those who presently own Apple stock may not be so critical. Seattle Repertory Theater, seattlerep.org. PICK 27 Voracious Tasting & Food Awards Seattle Weekly honors the best culinary talents in town, bestows the Pellegrini Awards, plays music, and offers all the food and booze you can stomach for an all-in-one price. Proceeds benefit Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance. The Paramount. 27–May 21 Shipwrecked! Three performers enact the tall tales of an ancient mariner in this Seattle premiere of Donald Margulies' fanciful yarn. ArtsWest. 28–30 Into the Void Not to be confused with the recent film Enter the Void by Gaspar Noé, this multimedia show by Catherine Cabeen and Company is a meditation on the art and legacy of Yves Klein. On the Boards. 28–May 7 The Variety Show Donald Byrd and company present a new cabaret show including snippets of theater, dance, and Dada. ACT Theatre and Spectrum Dance Center, spectrumdance.org. 28–June 5 Jackie & Me Back in 1947, baseball great Jackie Robinson is visited by a modern kid with a magical time-traveling baseball card. Seattle Children's Theatre. 28–June 6 Love Horse In this West Coast premiere of Bryn Magnus' oddball drama, a Chicago debt collector falls into love and other adventures. (Sample line: "I will strip you nude and knock your balls about with a spoon.") Washington Ensemble Theatre, washingtonensemble.org. 29–May 8 The Burning House The Carter Family Marionettes "lip-synch" to live musicians in NPC's annual opera, this year by Haydn. Northwest Puppet Center. 29–May 20 Women in Peril In its late-night show, Bad Actor Productions makes a hash of every Lifetime movie you pretend you haven't seen. Annex Theatre. 29–May 21 Sophocles Ajax The Greek warrior goes up against Achilles, then Athena starts to meddle in Richard C. Jebb's adaptation of the Sophocles original. Open Circle Theater, octtheater.com. 29–May 29 The Prisoner of Second Avenue Neil Simon's plaintive, funny midlife meltdown, set in NYC, is a keepsake from the "Ford to City: Drop Dead" '70s. ACT Theatre. 30 Northwest Symphony Samuel Jones' Horn Concerto, another in his series of Seattle Symphony–commissioned tasty brass showpieces, gets a second look. Highline Performing Arts Center, northwestsymphonyorchestra.org. 30–May 1 Auburn Symphony An all-Mahler program, to mark the centennial of his death. Auburn Performing Arts Center, auburnsymphony.org.MAY 3 John and Colleen Marzluff The local naturalists go to the birds in their illustrated memoir Dog Days, Raven Nights, about their immersion in the Maine world of pull-happy sled dogs and scheming, crafty corvids. Town Hall. 3 Town Music Cellist Joshua Roman's adventurous chamber-music series welcomes the Jack Quartet, playing Gesualdo, Ligeti, Xenakis, and some even newer works. Town Hall, townhallseattle.org. PICK 4 Les Violons du Roi Splendid tenor Ian Bostridge joins this period- instrument group for showy baroque arias. Benaroya Hall, seattlesymphony.org. 5–8 Seattle Symphony Shostakovich's snappy, even silly, Piano Concerto No. 1 (with Vladimir Feltsman) and Haydn's slapstick and parodistic Symphony No. 60. Benaroya Hall. 6–12 Louder Than a Bomb This new doc follows Chicago teens to a national poetry slam. SIFF Cinema. 7–21 Seattle Opera Mozart's something-for-everyone The Magic Flute thrills with its high-flying coloratura arias. McCaw Hall. 7–Aug. 21 The Talent Show Imported from the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, this new survey contemplates both sides of the boob tube in our obsessive age of fame and American Idol-atry. Henry Art Gallery. 8 Octava Chamber Orchestra Friends of the unusual, this string ensemble premieres Harold Owen's Harp Concertino. Maple Park Church, Lynnwood, octavachamberorchestra.com. 9 Music of Remembrance Devoted to music from and about the Holocaust, they'll premiere Betty Olivero's Kolo't. Benaroya Hall, musicofremembrance.org. 10 Richard Ford Rescheduled from last fall, the prolific novelist returns, courtesy of Seattle Arts & Lectures. Benaroya Hall. 10 UW Symphony In Ives' metaphysical The Unanswered Question, a lone trumpet argues with an increasingly peevish wind choir. Meany Hall, music.washington.edu. 11–July 31 Jesus Christ Superstar The Gospel According to Webber. Village Theatre. 12–14 Hello, Again, Hello Local performance troupe The Vis-à-Vis Society builds a live performance, with audience feedback, that investigates "topics such as the group dynamics of contagious loneliness and bioluminescence and car crashes." Northwest Film Forum. 12–15 El Gallo From Mexico City, Teatro de Ciertos Habitantes presents this short opera about a theater company trying to throw a show together. Yes, it's meta. On the Boards. PICK 12–15 American String Project Like music camp for adults: Top string players gather annually to form a chamber orchestra. This year, Grieg, Haydn, Shostakovich, and more. Benaroya Recital Hall, theamericanstringproject.org. 12–29 Mary Poppins The Broadway favorite musical, by way of Disney, tours through town. If you've got kids, or warm memories of Julie Andrews, this is for you. The Paramount. PICK 12–June 5 Guys and Dolls The classic Frank Loesser musical, first performed in 1950, is based on the New Yawk–poetic stories of Damon Runyon. Signature tunes include "Luck Be a Lady" and "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat." Gambling, love, and redemption were never so sweetly phrased. The 5th Avenue Theatre. 13 Seattle Modern Orchestra Intrepid pianist Cristina Valdes plays Ligeti's colorful concerto; Julia Tai also conducts Berio, Saariaho, and Scelsi. Meany Hall, seattlemodernorchestra.org. 13-21 Salt Horse Choreographers Corrie Befort and Beth Graczyk, along with composer Angelina Baldoz, specialize in allusion--magic tricks that happen in our peripheral vision only to transform when we turn our heads to see. New dance Titan Arum is an exploration of mythical powers, which is an apt description of all their work. Washington Hall, salthorseperformance.com. 13–June 12 The Call In Tanya Barfield's world-premiere drama, an infertile white couple decides to adopt from Africa, which turns out not to be so easy as it is for Angelina Jolie. Intiman Theatre. 19–21 Corella Ballet The Spanish classical ballet company pays a visit, part of the UW World Series. Meany Hall. PICK 19–June 12 Seattle International Film Festival The 37th annual edition of SIFF, the nation's largest film festival, will keep you sun-deprived and entertained for almost a full month. Multiple venues. 21–22 Seattle Pro Musica A choral Mass by Liechtenstein's greatest composer, Josef Rheinberger. St. James Cathedral, seattlepromusica.org. PICK 25–26 Margaret Leng Tan A workshop, film screening, and recital make up a mini-residency by this piano innovator. UW School of Music, music.washington.edu. 26 . . . Cathy McClure The local metal artist displays large, whimsical robot-style figures. Also opening: "Think Twice: New Latin American Jewelry." Both shows run through the summer, with exact dates TBD. Bellevue Arts Museum. 26–June 26 Sense and Sensibility In the Jane Austen classic, sisters-in-need-of-husbands Elinor and Marianne try to sort out the eligible bachelors in the area. Should they go for dashing, rich, or sincere? Book-It Repertory Theatre, book-it.org. 27–30 Northwest Folklife The drum circles, epic beards, kilts and Tevas, and smell of patchouli mark the official beginning of summer. But what's this . . . MCs and hip-hop have been added to the roster? After almost 40 years, maybe this family-friendly annual festival is a little hipper than you thought. Seattle Center, nwfolklife.org.

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Spring Arts Guide 2011: All About the New SeasonContent:Brian Yorkey: From Issaquah to a Tony AwardThe Sign Savant: Meet the Guy Who's Painted Half of West SeattleSeth Krimsky: Excuse Me While I Plug in My Electric BassoonLuke Haynes: The Artist Takes Over the Gallery Louise Di Lenge: Want Cleavage? She Can Help Inscape: Good FoundationsSpring Arts Calendar: From Norman Rockwell to Sarah Vowell